Mumbai, March 24 (IANS) Maharashtra Fisheries Minister Nitesh Rane on Tuesday announced a complete crackdown on illegal LED fishing in the Konkan region, declaring a zero‑tolerance policy to protect traditional fishermen and marine resources.

Replying to a discussion in the House, Rane said the state government was determined to shut down unauthorised LED fishing and would not bow to pressure from neighbouring states such as Gujarat or Goa.

“The state government is determined to shut down illegal LED fishing completely and will implement strict measures to achieve this. Out of 4,053 enforcement actions recently conducted across the state, approximately 2,000 were specifically against boats using illegal LED lights. The government would not yield to pressure or calls from neighbouring states like Gujarat or Goa and would continue to seize violating vessels,” he said.

Minister Rane warned of strict action against any department officials found to be protecting or aiding these illegal activities.

To boost the local economy in the Konkan belt, he announced several high-value projects, including a Fisheries University, the fish seed centre and water transport.

“An independent Fisheries University will be established at Devgad (Sindhudurg). A fish seed sub-centre will be built at Vengurla with an investment of Rs 60 crore. A substantial provision of Rs 6,600 crore has been allocated to enhance water transport facilities, particularly in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg,” he said.

Minister Rane also addressed the urgent financial distress faced by fishermen due to rising fuel costs. He told the house that he has written to the Central Government to reclassify fishing cooperatives so they can access retail pricing instead of being charged higher “bulk consumer” rates.

He also made a strong case for the implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) support to stabilise fuel costs, which have been impacted by the Middle East conflict and global supply chain disruptions.

The Minister shared the vision of making Maharashtra a national leader in shipbuilding and repair, leveraging the state’s extensive coastline to create a specialised hub for maritime maintenance.

–IANS

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